Prayer: Give us the vision of life with you, O Lord.
Reading: Revelation 21:1-6a (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: It’s Halloween! All Hallow’s Eve. The night before All Saints’ Day--the day we remember those who have died. God’s Saints. And we wonder—what are those who have died experiencing? Mom, dad, brother Paul, sister Pat. I don’t know, but I’m sure it is good. John had a vision. He, too, wondered about life after death. New heaven. New earth. New Jerusalem. Heaven coming to earth. God living among us. Tears all dried. No mourning, crying or pain. “I am making all things new,” John heard the one seated on the throne proclaim. John’s vision. My vision. Your vision. I don’t know what my folks are experiencing exactly. I know it is good. And here is why I know it is good. Because God is in charge. Because God is doing it. John heard God say, “It is done.” Enjoy the fun of All Hallow’s Eve.” Enjoy the firm reality that those saints who have died live in the presence of God. And so do you. --Jim Bricker
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We often reprint prior devotions that now reflect on the coming lectionary texts. This is a reprint from a devotion originally published on October 27, 2015.
Prayer: Surely you are our God! We trust in you and you save us. We rejoice and are glad in your salvation. Amen Reading: Isaiah 25: 6-9 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: I write this while sitting on the porch of a mountaintop cottage. While there are many places to get away, one of my favorites is in the mountains. So at least once a year I travel here for time with friends, time alone and time with God. Isaiah prophesied, "On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich for all peoples... On this mountain...the Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces. Let us rejoice." (from Isaiah 25: 6-9) That truly is my experience on this mountain. Lots of good food, a few tears wiped away and much rejoicing. Surely we trust in God. He saves us and we can be glad. Where is your mountain? --Ruth Gates Prayer: Sit with us, Lord, when we cry for those we love and have lost. Amen.
Reading: John 11: 32-44 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: I remember vividly learning about verse 35 when I was a youngster in Sunday School. This was the shortest verse in the Bible: Jesus wept. As we learned some Bible trivia, I put that in my memory bank to remember. I’m sure it would come in handy later. As an adult, I look at the verse differently. I don’t think as much about the fact that this is the shortest Bible verse, but rather that Jesus showed his human emotion here. He cried. He was sad about Lazarus. Even though he knew what would happen next, it troubled him. He wept. When we wept for those we love and have lost, let us remember that Jesus is there with us. He knows how we feel. And, he can do amazing things as we see in the rest of this story. Jesus comforts us as we weep. He stands by us and holds our hand. He knows how we feel. --Chad Hershberger We often reprint prior devotions that now reflect on the coming lectionary texts. This is a reprint from a devotion originally published on July 24, 2013.
Prayer: Help us to make the world colorful; but only when it is for good, dear Lord. Amen. Reading: Genesis 37: 1-4 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: A camp story from my days as a counselor It was late one night. I was at camp, sitting with several colleagues and we were looking for something to do. In a moment of spontaneity, we decided to repaint the wooden trash barrel that was in front of the building we were in at the time. One of my friends went to the maintenance shed and came back with all the supplies we would need, including pink paint. Some at camp were not too fond of us doing what we did, and I have been ribbed about doing it ever since that incident. A few yards down from that building was a propane tank. It had been a Mount Luther tradition to paint the tank and transform it into "The Sea Camel." I don't know how the tradition got started but each time we got a new tank, we felt the need to paint it to look like a yellow submarine. We had three Sea Camels over the years and twice, I was involved in the painting of the tank. Both times we did it at night, by flashlight, reminiscent of a covert operation. I've also helped paint the outside of buildings, the inside rooms of buildings, and other small things such as ceramics. Paint plays an important role in our world. It adds color. Joseph had a coat of many colors. It was to show the world that Joseph was his father's favorite son. But, his brothers were jealous and later sold him into slavery. Color can be good, but sometimes color can cause problems. Often it is better for things to be bland and ordinary rather than colorful and extraordinary. As I found out with painting the trash can pink, making something colorful can be bad. We took a lot of heat for doing that. We caused anger in someone else's life. It was a harmless prank, but we did case harm in someone’s life. We need to look at our actions and decide if they will be hurtful to another. If so, we should probably not do them We should have left the trash can its dull, drab, gray self. Eventually, it was painted back to gray and no one has raised a fuss since. In fact, that trash can has found its way into the maintenance shed, where now it is used to store rakes, hoes, and other tools. --Chad Hershberger Prayer: Help us to taste and see, O Lord.
Reading: Psalm 34:1-8 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: It is difficult to imagine a more effusive statement of praise. The psalmist justifies his trust with remembrances of deliverance from his troubles for apparently many occasions. I am struck, however, by the language late in this section. O taste and see that the Lord is good. Taste?! Taste what? Manna, milk, honey, bitter grapes, sweet wine? Taste what? Taste the Lord? As strange as that language seems, it is an intriguing image that can lead us in lots of directions. I’m thinking about tasting the produce of our garden. The tomatoes and cucumbers were especially sweet this summer. We dug potatoes a week or so ago. It is all good. Time to harvest the butternut squash. We will taste them most of the winter. Is that what David meant? Taste that the Lord is good. Could be, but I sure like the image. Bread and wine. The body and blood of Jesus. Certainly not an image David had in mind. But for us—why not? Indeed, taste and see. Taste the bread and wine. Smell the bread and wine. See the bread and wine. Feel bread and wine. Taste and see that the Lord is good. --Jim Bricker Prayer: So many times, Lord, we worry about what will happen. Help us to have true faith and know you are watching over us no matter how things turn out. Thank you for the many times our worries are unfounded. Strengthen us when they aren't. Amen
Reading: Hebrews 7: 23-28 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: What is true faith? I made bus reservations to visit my daughter in September. It involved changing buses midway with a one hour layover in Scranton. The first bus, however, was an hour late departing and then had to take detour because of an accident. Was I convinced we would arrive in time to catch the second bus? NO! But I kept telling myself we would make make it. And we did. Maybe I had true faith after all and those of us who had to make that tight connection rejoiced together at the final destination. Either way, though, God was watching over us. -- Alice Yeakel Prayer: Help us LORD to hear you speaking to us through all that happens in life. Thank you for hearing our humble prayers for ourselves and others. Your mercy restores us again and again. Amen
Reading: Job 42: 1-6, 10-17 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: As we finish our readings of the past few weeks from the book of Job now at the last chapter, what strikes me is that, of the two sets of verses we read, the first is about humble satisfaction and the second is about fortune restoration. Not the other way around. God visited Job, answered Job's questions about unfairness and Job's response is one of humility. Upright Job who suffered so greatly says he is okay after all. But that's not all. Job prays for his friends and then, yes THEN, he receives two times more what he had before. Satisfaction before restoration. Sometimes that is the order of things. Along the way pray - for yourself and others. -- Ruth Gates Prayer: Hear our prayer, O Lord. Answer us in the way that you see fit. Help our faith to guide us always. Amen.
Reading: Mark 10: 46-52 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: When I read these verses, I imagined myself as Bartimaeus, the blind man in our story. I’m sitting by the road, hear that Jesus is coming, and call out to him. Jesus doesn’t respond. I call again. Jesus comes over and talks to me and answers my request to let me see. And I did! I also thought about this story and how we can always call out to Jesus for help. The Bible tells us to let our concerns be made known to God. God will hear our prayers. But what Jesus said is key. Have faith. --Chad Hershberger Prayer: Creator God, may we be ever mindful that being in your eternal presence will be better than anywhere we may live in this world. Amen.
Reading: Genesis 36 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: Moving can be stressful in itself. Moving what in effect is an entire community could be quite a challenge. It would be helpful to turn to God for guidance whenever we find it necessary to relocate, whether alone or with others. Sometimes we may have to leave behind certain possessions that may have sentimental value. We also need to remember that nothing on earth can guarantee our security wherever we live. God has promised to be with us no matter where we may find ourselves in life’s unpredicatable journey. Ultimately, we look forward to the Heavenly Place that Jesus prepared for us through his self-less sacrifice for our sins. --Rev. Paul Kampa We often reprint prior devotions that now reflect on the coming lectionary texts. This is a reprint from a devotion originally published on October 15, 2015.
Prayer: How many are your works, LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. Praise the LORD! Amen. (Psalm 104: 24) Reading: Psalm 104: 1-9, 24, 35c (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: The past couple days I have taken the bus to work. It was a necessity the first day as my car was in the shop and the Jeep was in the airport parking lot. My car is back but I still took the bus today. Why? I enjoyed the walk to and from the bus stops and my house and work. Picking and eating a crisp fall apple along the way. Saying hello to a friend walking their dog in the neighborhood. Crossing over the wide river on a pedestrian bridge in the city. I realized it was fun watching the world to by outside the bus windows. You miss a lot driving and paying attention to the road and other vehicles. The seasons are changing and you can see hints of it in the flowers and trees already. I also enjoyed people watching and, let me tell you, the bus, bus depot and city offer great people watching. There was even music as a child in the seat behind me sang, The Wheels on the Bus most of the way home. We are all God's children living in God's amazing creation. In wisdom God made us and so much more. Praise the LORD! Tomorrow, for a variety of reasons, I must drive to work. I think I will miss observing more closely God's wonderful world. --Ruth Gates Prayer: Thank you for sending Jesus, common with us, to connect us to you and with each other. Amen.
Reading: Hebrews 5: 1-10 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: These verses are hard to interpret. The inference is we are more alike than we think. We all feel fear, pain, frustration and that can connect us. Jesus walked among us as a humble human. Thus his followers could "connect" with him. As Christians do we "connect" with others? Or are we aloof and think of ourselves better than others? One of our younger pastors loved to sing (and sang well), especially gospel hymns. Some of the older members said, "We are paying him to preach, not sing." Sometimes the young pastor occasionally expressed his frustration like we all do at times. He also had four children. There were many who liked him because he was so much like us...an ordinary, humble human. A song, a hug, a pleasant greeting are just a few ways we can connect as common, humble humans; connect as Christ-like Christians. -- Alice Yeakel Prayer: (In prayer today, think of the fullness of God's care without using words which are sometimes empty compared to the wonders of His love. Try singing like the morning stars. What would that sound like?)
Reading: Job 38: 1-7 (34-41) (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: In verse 2, God calls out Job for spouting off empty words without thought and by verse 7 God humbles Job asking him, "Where were you...when the morning stars sang together?" We think we know it all but there is a vast amount we don't know and maybe never will because only God is all-knowing. If we think about the fullness of all God's love and care, we would stop our empty words without thought. -- Alice Yeakel Prayer: Gracious and Almighty God thank you for what you have given us. Help us use our gifts to help others. May we be humble as we are serving others in your name. Amen.
Reading: Mark 10:35-45 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: As I read this Bible text I always think about how arrogant James and John were. Who are they to ask to sit on either side of Jesus? I share in the other’s disciples indignant. What Jesus teaches them after this conflict is great for all to live by – serve. For the past 8 summers we have held a mini mission week at our church for children in elementary school. The children are very eager to participate in the various projects that we do to help others. This past summer we talked about how we can be peacemakers. Some of the words we kept coming back to were being humble, loving, and having a servant heart. I truly hope the children’s eagerness to serve and help others will continue as they grow. I know, for me, I am at my best when I am serving others. -Charlene Rineer Prayer: Teach us to pray, O Lord.
Reading: James 5:13-20 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: How many times have we prayed for folks who are sick and suffering? Lots, I’m sure. That is something we do. But I’m struck by James’ take. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up. So, why do we pray? Why do we anoint? Because in and through our prayers God is busy raising people up. Wow! How does that work, you might ask? Beats me. I just know it is so. Keep praying. --Jim Bricker Prayer: Lord, help us to remember your faithfulness. Amen
Reading: Psalm 22:1-5 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: Most of us recognize the first line of this psalm. Jesus quotes it from the cross. Forsaken, abandoned, alone, not heard. Terrible feelings. None of us has experienced anything like Jesus’ execution. I imagine, however, that most of us have had moments when we have felt abandoned and alone. It seems like the feeling just drives us deeper and deeper until we lose hope. We read on and hear the psalmist express trust in God who is holy and enthroned. The foundation of that trust is in history. The psalmist leans on the story of his ancestors. This is the history in which God actively walks among David’s people and ancestors. A long time ago I worked with material (Word and Witness for those of you who may remember) which described this story as HIStory. His story. God’s story. How might we today place our troubles in the context of history? In the context of remembering God in our lives in the past? Perhaps by looking back we will again remember God’s faithfulness and be able to trust God in the present—no matter how awful it may seem. --Jim Bricker Prayer: Teaching Lord, thank you for keeping your instuctions to us clear and simple so we may find grace and mercy in time of need. Amen
Reading: Hebrews 4: 12-16 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: God's words are very sharp and clear cut (verse 12). Follow them as if like a simple recipe. I have a very simple recipe for English muffins: 2 cups flour 1 Tbsp. baking powder 2 cups Greek yogurt Knead gently with just enough extra flour to make the dough smooth and pliable. Form into 3" flat, round muffins. Bake on parchment paper lined sheet at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Flip over and bake another 10-12 minutes. Let's convert this to a recipe for living a Godly life: 2 cups love 1 Tbsp. kindness 2 cups patience Mold into your daily life. The finished product gives sustenance (grace and mercy) in time of need. -- Alice Yeakel Prayer: Thank you for your care so we can be confident in overcoming obstacles and come out like gold. Amen
Reading: Job 23: 1-9, 16-17 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: Job sounds very frustrated and depressed in this chapter. It begins and ends with desparation. Yet in the middle of all this, Job clings to hope. If we remain confident and steadfast, believing in God's care for us, we shall overcome the obstacles. Job also remains confident that "when (God) has tested me" he will come out like gold. What obstacles do you need to overcome? It may help to think, especially in the middle of it all, we shall come out like gold. -- Alice Yeakel Prayer: Dear God, Help us to sit in uncomfortable times. Help us to see beyond our belongings to you. Amen
Reading: Mark 10: 17-31 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: I’m going to be honest, this text makes me uncomfortable. It is harder for the rich to get to the kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle? I worked at Camp Mount Luther, I’ve seen camels and they are not about to fit through the eye of a needle. While I don’t consider myself rich, the reality is most of us reading this are rich compared to the rest of the world. I don’t have to worry about having enough food or where I am going to sleep tonight. I have more clothes than I would ever need. So where does that put us in the context of this passage? As verse 26 says, “Who then can be saved?” I don’t have any of the answers to that those questions, but I encourage you to sit with that uncomfortable feeling. In the meantime, this passage makes me think of a book I had growing up called The Quiltmaker’s Gift by Jeff Brumbeau. I don’t know if the author wrote it meaning to relate to this passage, but I like to think so. If you have a chance, click the link below and read it. (Note: The actually book is beautiful, and I highly encourage buying it if you like this. This PDF doesn’t do the artwork justice.) http://mir.pravo.by/webroot/delivery/files/books/The%20Quiltmakers%20Gift.pdf The gist is, the king ends up giving away all his treasures, and that is when he is truly happy. At first, he is looking for happiness in all his stuff. Where do we look for our happiness? If we put the most value on our stuff, we most definitely become the camel who cannot fit through the needle. But when we lift our eyes from our stuff and look beyond, when riches, belongings, money, and stuff are not our priority-that is when I hear Jesus saying in verse 27, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” --Tara Barnard Prayer: Loving God, where would we be if it were not for your divine hand plucking us out of the mire we get ourselves into much too often? Help us to be honest with ourselves, so that the choices we make in life reflect the way of Christ, rather than our selfish, personal desires. Amen.
Reading: Genesis 30 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: Throughout this 30th chapter of Genesis, we see scheme after scheme being played out for the purpose of personal gain. Rachel and Leah scheme against one another in child bearing so as to win the favor of Jacob. And Jacob, who was already known for his deceitful ways against his father and brother, is once again involved in back and forth scheming with his father-in-law, Laban. In all of these situations, the scheming participants credit God for their good favor. But is this to say that God applauds or rewards the scheming actions we commit for personal benefit? How many times have you heard people say about others, “They’ll get theirs in the end?” Such a statement suggests that people will pay for their unjust ways when they finally face God’s judgment. Once again, people credit God for the outcome of what they have already perceived for themselves to be wrong, good, or bad. Let’s be honest. In the present, in the future, and most assuredly in the end, God will use God’s power to intervene in our lives as God sees fit. We must be honest with ourselves and recognize that our choices in life are our responsibility- and we should not pass the buck and claim that our scheming, our dishonesty, is part of God’s great plan. Thanks be to God that God’s unending love continually reaches out to save us from our “our plans” and especially our scheming. Truly, it is by the Grace of God that we are blessed. --Bishop Barbara J. Collins We often reprint prior devotions that now reflect on the coming lectionary texts. This is a reprint from a devotion originally published on October 1, 2015.
Prayer: Dear God, may we trust in you without wavering and praise you with our feet on level ground. Amen. Reading: Psalm 26 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: My feet stand on level ground; in the great assembly I will praise the LORD. Psalm 26: 12 This evening my son, James, is at a Cleveland Symphony Orchestra performance of An Alpine Symphony by Richard Strauss. I thought I would listen to a recording while I write and perhaps do some research to learn more about piece. The story of An Alpine Symphony depicts the experiences of eleven hours (from twilight just before dawn to the following nightfall) spent climbing an Alpine mountain. As a boy, Strauss experienced an Alpine adventure similar to the one described in his An Alpine Symphony: he and a group of hikers lost their way heading up a mountain and were caught in a storm and soaked on the way down. The 50 minute piece paints many pictures from sunrise to sunset; ascending to descending; calm to danger; waterfall and meadow to glacier and thunder. Surely you get the feeling of beginning on level ground, all the joyful and fearful wonders of a journey and ending back on level ground again. The last verse of Psalm 26 speaks of standing on level ground and there praising the LORD. Life takes us on many journeys; up and down, good and bad along the way. Knowing our feet are on level ground, it is good to praise the LORD. --Ruth Gates Prayer: Help us, Lord. We are left to make so many decisions of our own. Help and guide us in our choices. May we know what is best through you. Amen
Reading: Hebrews 1: 1-4, 2: 5-12 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: These verses in Hebrews are confusing. (See question 1 above.) Especially verses 6-8 in chapter 2. We are told God has "left nothing outside (our) control." Yet, in my mind, we are not, should not and cannot be in total control. This is a mighty challenge, a heavy weight. Who's in charge here? Not so sure it should be me. Has God (or have we?) allowed ourselves too much control in ways that harm our destiny? I shudder at the thought: Suppose I make a mistake? What if my decision or choice is not for the best? I guess the best we can do is pray for God's guidance and help. Who's in charge? I am and I ask God to help me. -- Alice Yeakel Prayer: Listening God, help us to remember complaining is not our job. Better to be like Job. Amen
Reading: Job 1: 1, 2: 1-10 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: There was a woman who owned a little shop and from the minute you stepped inside all she talked about were her aches and pains. How could one person have so much to complain about? She looked perfectly healthy and managed her little shop well. I was perhaps 10 or 12 years old at the time and felt quite sorry for her. Today, I have a widowed friend who has also lost two of her children and has more aches and pains than seems fair. But she never complains. Just keeps plodding along. I liken her to Job. -- Alice Yeakel Prayer: Let the little children come to you, Jesus, and help us to be like little children. Amen.
Reading: Mark 10: 2-16 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: I will admit my bias right up front today. I love children. While some would prefer to spend time with adults, I would rather be in a room full of kids. I enjoy their innocence, their ability to say it like it is, and their fun-loving attitude. I know of a few people in a local congregation who think that kids should be quiet and respectful during the church. They have problems if kids are running around the sanctuary, or heaven forbid, go up to the chancel. One of them even wrote a letter to the pastor sharing their feelings. When I heard about this, all I could think about was this verse. Jesus says, “Let the little children come to me.” Shouldn’t we want our children to be in church? Shouldn’t they be allowed to show their excitement for God’s love? I know they pay attention more than you think they do. My children are proof of that. Often, I get on my soapbox about things like this, particularly when people say that our children and youth are the church of tomorrow. No, I disagree. They are the church of today. Let them participate! Let them have a say in what goes on. Wouldn’t it be neat if one Sunday the children and youth gave the message and the more experienced adults were the acolytes? --Chad Hershberger |
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